2023 MLB (non-Tigers) catch all thread

[oblong]

I wonder if you can determine who in 2022 was shifted against the most and compare their numbers with 2023?

 

[chasfh]

Here's another way of looking at it:

This breaks down batting averages in for ground balls and line drives, both overall and by handedness. The row at the top is 2023, with the shift ban in effect.

So far, the results show increases in batting averages in all situations to varying degrees this season versus last, although this compares this year's partial seasons to last year's full season. It being only early May, it remains to be seen whether teams are going to moderate their positioning to become more shift-oriented than they have been so far. For example, speaking just anecdotally, I seem to be noticing more shortstops positioning themselves right up to the imaginary second-base middle line for LHH—basically, playing right up the middle—whereas earlier this season I thought they had been shaded more toward the traditional shortstop position. But this is just one guy talking more or less out of his ear—surely someone has positioning data they will be looking at and reporting on at some point during this season. But point is, these 2023 figures may change as teams presumably become smarter on how to position themselves vis a vis the new rule.

[Tiger337]

6 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Baseball America shows here that it did not affect BABIP at the minor league level:

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/banning-shifts-had-almost-no-effect-on-batted-ball-outcomes-in-the-minors/

As for the majors this year, MLB BABIP through yesterday, 1,058 team-games so far, shows a BABIP of .298. Last year, through May 17, a total of 1,060 team-games, BABIP was. 282. That's a pretty substantial difference, and runs counter to BA's finding for the minors.

Is the difference in the majors due to the banning of the shift while the minors was an anomaly? Or is the majors the anomaly and the minors the real difference? I think probably somebody would have to dive deeper than just raw BABIP to find out.

yeah, I think you need to go beyond BABIP.  Perhaps, neither is an anomaly and they are two very different samples.  For example, Major League hitters are a lot better than minor league hitters, so maybe they are better able to take advantage of the new rules.   I don't know how that would work, but I don't know if what happens in the minors would be expected to translate to the majors. 

If I remember correctly, there was also not a big difference in stolen bases with the changes in the minors, but there has been a substantial difference in the majors.   

[oblong]

20 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

yeah, I think you need to go beyond BABIP.  Perhaps, neither is an anomaly and they are two very different samples.  For example, Major League hitters are a lot better than minor league hitters, so maybe they are better able to take advantage of the new rules.   I don't know how that would work, but I don't know if what happens in the minors would be expected to translate to the majors. 

If I remember correctly, there was also not a big difference in stolen bases with the changes in the minors, but there has been a substantial difference in the majors.   

regarding the steals..... how much is it due to bigger bases?  How much is due to the throwing over rules?  How much is due to the pitch clock?

I think all 3 matter a little bit.

 

[Tigeraholic1]

I have gone to a number of minor league games and pretty sure the use of this shift seemed limited. 

[Tiger337]

3 minutes ago, Tigeraholic1 said:

I have gone to a number of minor league games and pretty sure the use of this shift seemed limited. 

That is a good point.  I also don't remember the shift being used as much in the limited number of games I attended.  

[RandyMarsh]

Just looking at the standings and currently the A's are on pace to finish over 90 games back of the Rays in the standings. lol

[oblong]

1 hour ago, Tiger337 said:

That is a good point.  I also don't remember the shift being used as much in the limited number of games I attended.  

Could be due to the objective of the minors.  Yes you want to win games but you also want to develop skills.  

 

[gehringer_2]

6 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

That is a good point.  I also don't remember the shift being used as much in the limited number of games I attended.  

do they spend enough on statisitics staff to have the data to support a lot of shifting? Like Rob said, how much is winning a couple more minor league games worth when it doesn't really contribute to player devel anyway?

[chasfh]

6 hours ago, oblong said:

Could be due to the objective of the minors.  Yes you want to win games but you also want to develop skills.  

 

Winning games is also one of the skills organizations want to teach in the minors. Handling winning is also a skill. But yes, they are more likely to go against the book on what’s needed to win this game today in order to test someone’s mettle in a high leverage situation instead. Kind of like Hinch is doing with this team.

[Jim Cowan]

So, what kind of a defender is Ibanez at third?  Good enough to leave him there every day for a month?

[RandyMarsh]

Correa hearing the boo birds in Minny after yet another horrible night. Average currently sits at .186 and OPS at .624.

Considering the Twins aren't exactly the Mets or Yankees when it comes to absorbing bad contracts this deal could end up being be a real killer for them going forward...... and I'll enjoy every second of it if it is. 

[mtutiger]

Good God Almighty 

 

[casimir]

On 5/7/2023 at 5:27 PM, Edman85 said:

The discourse needs more Bob Kendricks.

Kendricks opened up his weekly podcast with an 11 minute commentary on the situation.  It was thought provoking and eloquent.

He has a good story to his career.  He began as a volunteer at the original one room museum and has progressed to its president.  That museum has easily outgrown the original, and last week he announced that they will be moving to another larger location, across the street from the current location if I remember it correctly.  I imagine he would never take sole credit for its growth, but he certainly has been an important part of its evolution.

[Edman85]

1 hour ago, mtutiger said:

Good God Almighty 

 

 

I believe Myers just got off the COVID-IL, and having gone through that last summer, I can confirm the brain fog is real.

[casimir]

On 5/8/2023 at 9:01 AM, chasfh said:

Since the word “negro” is too close for comfort to what is now considered to be the most profane word in America, maybe they should consider rechristening the whole thing from its current name to the Black Baseball Leagues, or something along those lines, regardless of what it was called “back in the day”.

Of course, it will spur a short and strong backlash among those who have never given those leagues even a single thought, but really, **** anybody who does that. Besides, they’re already raising the predictable backlash over this already.

 

So, the hall itself uses the term within its title.  Different terminology is used on Black Diamonds in reference to the different leagues and barnstorming ventures.  Cito Gaston was the guest last week, and he referred to black baseball and himself as black and but also mentioned African American.  I think its just a case where even the "acceptable" terms aren't unilaterally used (and obviously other words should never be used).

[casimir]

1 hour ago, mtutiger said:

Good God Almighty 

 

Yeah, those teal lids do stand out, don't they?

[Jim Cowan]

Meanwhile over in the National League, Ronald Acuna looks like he wants to hit 30 homers, steal 70 bases, and win the slash line triple crown.

[tiger2022]

On the Myers missed fly ball, you can just tell Graham Ashcraft is looking out at him and wondering why Wil Myers is even on the roster.  It's not like he provides anything positive on offense and certainly isn't saving runs with his defense.  He's kind of the Reds version of Jonathan Schoop.  

[gehringer_2]

Kumar Rocker blew his UCL. About as predictable as the Sun rising in the East.....

https://www.mlb.com/news/kumar-rocker-rangers-tommy-john-surgery

[lordstanley]

Verlander knocked around in his home debut in a Mets uniform. 
 

 

[chasfh]

Anyone still glad we made the Paredes deal?

Edited May 17, 2023 by chasfh

[Jim Cowan]

No one is glad that Meadows can't play anymore.

[RandyMarsh]

I'm still not sure Parades wouldve ended up the same way here as he did with TB, after all he's not the first and certainly won't be the last player to play way better for them than they ever did or do elsewhere but assuming that's not the case then yeah his bat sure would look nice on this team right now. 

[Jim Cowan]

Paredes is having some good results right now, so good for him.  It's a big improvement over last year when, other than an almost impossible 11 game stretch, he was just terrible.  I'd still wait and see what the results are for a full season.